![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/d3a80fcd6573060a3ce926de78f44518.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\nMetro Vancouver Regional District is asking residents to cut back on outdoor water use as the region prepares for the likely move to Stage 3 water restrictions sometime in June.<\/p>\n
The regional district says its eyeing the potential move because of a combination of factors, including a major water supply pipe that has been taken out of service for construction.<\/p>\n
The pipe in question, the First Narrows Crossing, carries water from North Shore water reservoirs through Stanley Park and into Vancouver. But it has been offline since last fall to facilitate construction work on the new Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel, which will replace the aging water main built in the 1930s.<\/p>\n
If water use demand climbs too high while the crossing is offline, the regional district says it could reduce water pressure and affect the ability of first responders to access water during emergencies.<\/p>\n
Linda Parkinson, a director in Metro Vancouver\u2019s water services department, says water use in May has already been higher than it was at the same time last year, when the region was under less restrictive Stage 1 rules.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it gets warm here, we use a lot more water,\u201d she said. \u201cWe use 50 per cent more water than we do in the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The region has been under Stage 2 restrictions since May 1, which means lawn watering is already banned, as well as any filling or topping up of decorative water features.<\/p>\n
Under Stage 3, lawn water remains prohibited along with additional restrictions on watering trees and gardens, filling pools and hot tubs and washing surfaces, vehicles and boats.<\/p>\n
Parkinson says the goal is to avoid Stage 3 as much as possible unless it becomes absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t take this decision lightly,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
The last time Metro Vancouver was under Stage 3 water restrictions was in July 2015, nearly 11 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a drought year and we had a historically low snowpack that year,\u201d Parkinson said.<\/p>\n
This year is raising similar concerns.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
People running along the seawall during a period of warm weather in Vancouver, B.C., in February 2026. (Nav Rahi\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Metro Vancouver says the remaining snowpack is at about 23 per cent of the historical average \u2014 the lowest level since 2015.<\/p>\n